- Hektar REIT wins big at the inaugural The Edge Malaysia ESG Awards 2022
- The awards were aimed at honouring Malaysia’s best performers in ESG
The first retail-focused real estate investment trust in Malaysia, Hektar Real Estate Investment Trust (“Hektar REIT”), is thrilled to announce that it has won two Silver awards at the inaugural The Edge Malaysia ESG Awards 2022:
- Most Improved Performance Award (for Market Cap below RM300M)
- Property & REIT Sector Award
The awards strive to recognise and honour Malaysian businesses for their dedication to growing and improving their company operations in accordance with the concepts of Environmental, Social, and Governance (“ESG”), and the award ceremony was conducted at a gala dinner at the Sunway Resort Hotel on 28 November 2022,
The Edge Malaysia ESG Awards 2022 were divided into two categories: equity awards and fund awards. The Equity Awards were co-hosted by Bursa Malaysia and FTSE Russell, while the Fund Awards were co-hosted by the Securities Commission and Morningstar. The purpose of these awards was to encourage ESG adoption and leadership among industry executives and professionals by recognising their efforts and accomplishments. Hektar REIT qualified under the Equity Awards category, which requires a company to be listed on Bursa Malaysia and a constituent of FTSE Bursa Malaysia EMAS index as of June 2022.
“We are honoured to be conferred with these prestigious awards, a testament and recognition of our efforts in driving Sustainability initiatives since we embarked on the core focus on its three pillars of E, S and G across the organisation in 2017. Our commitment to ESG principles is long-term, as we recognise that all of us have a responsibility to our stakeholders. We remain committed to further advancing our efforts in managing material sustainability matters in the area of environmental conservation, including climate change mitigation and adaptation, water & waste management, and managing energy consumption, including incorporating renewable energy in our energy mix.”
— En. Johari Shukri bin Jamil, Chief Executive Officer of Hektar Asset Management Sdn. Bhd. (“Hektar Asset Management”), the Manager of Hektar REIT
En Johari emphasised that the business would continue to ensure that its actions are consistent with its corporate social responsibility (CSR), industry best practises, and investor expectations. Hektar REIT has worked with many local and international organisations over the years, providing support to NGOs and charity programmes to help underprivileged and marginalised communities, as well as advancing and empowering women to improve their financial independence for the benefit of their families.
“We recognise the need for responsible sourcing and are working closely with external parties, such as our tenants and vendors, to reduce our carbon footprint across the value chain. An example is the recently introduced Reverse Vending Machine (RVM) to recycle plastic bottles and cans at Subang Parade as a pilot project to play our role and reward our loyal patrons with vouchers for redemption for their continued commitment to becoming a part of a responsible society. We will also continue integrating ESG into all aspects of our business, from financial management to operations and future planning to deliver resilient and sustainable long-term value for our stakeholders.”
En. Johari added
Hektar REIT’s ESG rating on the FTSE4Good Bursa Malaysia Index was raised from 3-stars to 4-stars in the June 2022 FTSE Russell review (F4GBMI). Hektar REIT is motivated and encouraged to continue its efforts to enhance initiatives in all three of the key areas of Environmental, Social, and Governance and integrate these core principles into its corporate DNA as a result of the F4GBMI evaluation of the results.